National Treasure #139: Pierre Berton

Had Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton been born in 1930 instead of 1920, he likely would have had his own website, and written it all himself. As it is, we are left to work with others’ perceptions and summaries of the man.

Gordon Pinsent had a great line at one of those arts literary dinners: “I haven’t seen such a collection of egos in one spot since the last time Pierre Berton dined alone.”
Sometimes I think Berton was overrated as a writer; I find his prose, generally, unlikely to move hearts. After all, much of his 50 books was written by his researchers. But as a historian of Canada, he was unparalleled.
Jim T